Blog entries - January 2010

Double Your Return with Lennar and Village Builders

Cheryl Boe — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:21:53 +0100

Lennar and Village Builders will double your 2009 tax refund, up to $20,000. The builders will match your tax refund up to $20,000, which can be used towards the price of a new Lennar or Village Builders home.

This special offer is good on homes sold between January 25 and January 31, 2010. Home must close by February 28, 2010.

Lennar offers new homes in Fairfield, Graystone Hills, Oakhurst at Kingwood, Lakes of Savannah and Lakemont. Village Builders is currently selling in Fairfield, Graystone Hills, Oakhurst at Kingwood and West Ranch.

For more information, visit Lennar.com.

Offer good up to $20,000 on homes sold 1/25/10 - 1/31/10 that close by 2/28/10. Tax Return should be presented on first visit to the Welcome Home Center. See a Lennar or Village Builders New Home Consultant for further information. Offers, incentives and seller contributions are subject to certain terms, conditions and restrictions, which may include use of designated lenders and closing agents. Offer good for a limited time only. Lennar and Village Builders reserve the right to change or withdraw any offer at any time. Copyright © 2010 Lennar Corporation. Lennar, the Lennar logo, Village Builders, and the Village Builders logo, Everything You Want., Everything You Need., That's the Logic of Lennar logo, Universal American Mortgage Comany and UAMC logos are registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. 1/10

Montgomery County Celebration for MLK Day

Greg Rivera — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:30:24 +0100

Monday January 18 residents from across Montgomery County came together in unity to celebrate The Dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. His dream, “deeply rooted in the American dream” was that America would “rise up and live out of the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’”

King’s call for dignity, discipline and peace was commemorated by the 22nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at the Woodlands United Methodist Church. The event was hosted by St. Paul Church of The Woodlands and welcomed Tim Melton, ABC 13 sportscaster, as the master of ceremonies and Austin Lane, president of Lone Star College-Montgomery, as the Keynote speaker.

During his speech in 1963 King said, “I have a dream today!” And though he was assassinated in April of 1968, many people are living to make that dream a reality today. In order to celebrate the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr., local high school seniors were given the opportunity to write an essay sharing how they “could make Dr. King’s dream a reality.” Yet, other students participated by designing posters themed “Living the Dream.”

Conroe High School student Tracaria White, along with Landon Morris from Oak Ridge High School and Jonelle Cathey-Harper of The Woodlands High School, received $500 scholarships for their outstanding work. Poster winners were honored with a $100 U.S. Savings Bond given to Alejandra Bremauntz for first place; a $75 Savings Bond given to Caroline Crisp for second place; and in third place Serena Li received a $50 Savings Bond.

As Melton shared, “The natural reaction is to need recognition for what you do. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message was to give back.” Many people across Conroe and surrounding areas are still working to help the people who are “exiles in their own land” by volunteering and working for justice, peace and righteousness. To honor those people in Montgomery County that have been serving the community, the Drum Major Award was presented to two outstanding couples. Jimmie and Elsa Dotson and Barbara and Don Gebert, who were recognized for the numerous ways they “give back” to the community.

The Dotsons volunteer with Big Brothers and Sisters, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Conroe ISD Task Force for Strategic Planning, the 100 Club of Montgomery County, The Montgomery County Women’s Center, the Tamina Action Community Association and Montgomery County United Way.

Barbara and Don Gebert helped organize The Woodlands Religious Community, which became Interfaith of The Woodlands; they co-founded The Villager newspaper, The Community Clinic, Montgomery County Youth Services, The Montgomery County Community Foundation and the Peace and Justice Coalition of Montgomery County.

To make such notable changes in a community it takes strength and resiliency, two things which Keynote speaker Austin Lane spoke to that he has seen in his lifetime. From his mother and grandmother who raised him, to two other figures in his life, “Growing up, we only knew of two other strong and resilient people. One we learned about at church every Sunday.” The other may not be surprising, as Lane shared, “It was not until I was 8 years old that I realized Martin Luther King, Jr. was not my father. We had pictures of him everywhere.”

While King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 – as the third African American, second American, and youngest person to receive the prize at that time – and held twenty honorary degrees, as well as being Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” in 1963, he asked that people not remember him for his awards or where he went to school. During a sermon in 1968 King used the 20th Century notion of the ‘Drum Major Instinct’ to explain how he hoped to be remembered, “If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness.”

Now 42 years later people across Conroe, Texas and the U.S. are living to make Dr. King’s dream of equality a reality and taking the third Monday of each January to celebrate the work that was started years ago that continues shaping their community today. This day was not only a Holiday to remember King and the changes that have been made, but a day to continue dreaming of a better tomorrow too.

Giesinger Elementary Artist Awarded Gold Medal

Greg Rivera — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:27:58 +0100

Six hundred and fifty Conroe ISD students with artistic talent exhibited their works of Western art at the annual Livestock Show and Rode Western Art Show earlier this month. Among the group, 9 students medaled and received Special Merit awards, including Geisinger Elementary's own Madeline McCollum, whose teacher is Tricia Matthews. Madeline’s rooster depicted an artistic talent beyond her years.

The students' work will remain on display in the Hayloft Gallery of the Reliant Center for the entire duration of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. A committee from Reliant Center judged the works of art, and the winners will be eligible for scholarship money as their works of art continue to compete against others' from various school districts.

Exxon Mobil Campus "Clearly Happening"

Cheryl Boe — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:18:36 +0100

Real estate professionals say a long-running rumor is now a sure thing — Exxon plans to build a large corporate campus near the town of Spring.

“Exxon Mobil’s campus is clearly happening,” according to Sanford Criner, an executive vice president with CB Richard Ellis Inc.

Criner’s declaration came during a Jan. 7 presentation at the real estate firm’s downtown offices.

He declined to disclose the source of his information concerning Exxon’s project slated for the west side of Interstate 45, where the Hardy Toll Road intersects the freeway.

“It is uniformly believed in the real estate community that Exxon is developing a new campus,” Criner said. “That’s a huge story.”

Speculation has ebbed and flowed over the past few months that the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company planned to buy roughly 400 acres to consolidate thousands of employees from Houston and Fairfax, Va.

In the Houston area alone, Irving-based Exxon has people working in more than two-dozen locations who are expected to share a single address in the future.

Criner said the relocation would be a big blow to the Greenspoint area, where Exxon leases 2 million square feet of office space for 6,000 employees. Employees downtown and those in company-owned buildings would not move to the new location.

In attendance at the CBRE meeting was Jack Drake, president of the Greater Greenspoint Management District.

When asked to comment on Exxon’s exit, Drake wryly replied that George Bush Intercontinental Airport is not leaving Greenspoint, and neither are Beltway 8 and Interstate 45.

Covert developments
Exxon keeps a tight lid on information regarding real estate plans, and would not comment for this story.

The conglomerate with an estimated 104,000 employees worldwide avoids discussion of operational activities.

In deference to Exxon’s covert character, businesspeople with knowledge of the company’s plans would only speak off the record.

Sources who received campus details directly from Exxon or others connected to the deal paint a picture of an elaborate complex north of Houston, possibly with several million square feet of space.

“They’re doing it,” one well-placed source states emphatically.

In other recent developments cited by sources:

• Exxon sent a company e-mail informing employees that the company is conducting an analysis of U.S. office buildings, but no decision on a Harris County campus is anticipated until the study is complete in 2011.

• Deed records show an entity purchased a large amount of acreage late last year at the Interstate 45 site, bordered on the north by Spring Creek. The entity, believed to be connected to Exxon, purchased 400 acres of vacant land from New York-based Coventry Development Co., which owned as much as 1,500 acres in the area through affiliate Springwoods Realty Co. Executives with Coventry, which developed the local Baybrook Mall, did not respond to phone calls regarding the land.

Activity on the potential site indicates development is in the offing, whether it involves Exxon or not.

source: Houston Business Journal

Winter Brings Fine Wining

Greg Rivera — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:45:33 +0100

The weather is cold and business is slow for winemakers this time of the year. Texas winemakers will be using this opportunity to host wine dinners in local restaurants and wineries.

The dinners are highly enjoyable for Conroe residents, but for the winemaker it is an artistic means to represent their trade. Attendants are sure to have a good time with the artists telling stories and creating an atmosphere of comfort, guiding you through their creations and sharing the wonders of “vinification.”

One location, Bernhardt Winery, has the scene set with music, entertainment, dancing, and the relaxing warmth of a fireplace. Bernhardt Winery is also scheduled to hold seminars on January 30, February 6, and February 27 sharing information on their vineyard and winemaking process.

Upcoming information and events are listed below, so let the wining begin.

January 15 - Flat Creek Estates from the Texas Hill Country will host a wine dinner at the Longwood Golf Course (The Grille) 13300 Longwood Trace Cypress, Texas. For information, call Frank Horton at (281) 373-4100 ext. 13.

January 23 - Bernhardt Winery hosts Winter Madness in an intimate setting with a four course European dinner interspersed with Bernhardt’s best. For reservations, call (936) 894-9829. 1 Windsor Drive, Conroe, Texas 77304

January 23 - Stone House Winery hosts a four course wine dinner in the Texas Hill Country, beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to www.stonehousevinyard.com. 24350 Haynie Flat Road, Spicewood, Texas 78669

February 5 - The Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail will host a wine trail kickoff dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Messina Hof Winery in Bryan. Go to www.messinahof.com for more details. 4545 Old Reliance Road, Bryan, Texas 77808

February 7 - Cooking lessons with Chef Brett Montgomery followed by a wonderful wine dinner paired with four different Messina Hof wines at the Messina Hof Winery in Bryan. Call (800) 736-9463 ext. 224 for more information or to make reservations. 4545 Old Reliance Road, Bryan, Texas 77808

February 13 - Bernhardt Winery hosts a romantic four course dinner paired with music of the Don Juan Band. 1 Windsor Drive, Conroe, Texas 77304

Conroe HS Tiger Band to Tourny of Roses

Greg Rivera — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:18:43 +0100

On Monday December 28th nearly 200 Conroe High School Tiger Band students made their way to the West Coast to participate in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade. The Conroe High School Tiger Band was one of only 21 bands selected to play in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade which took place on Friday January 1, 2010 at 8am. They were the only band from Texas and were proud to represent their state as they marched as number 53 in the parade with bands from throughout the nation, along with magnificent floral floats and high-stepping equestrian units making up 92 total parade entries.

The excitement and honor had been a long time coming – the band was notified of its selection to participate in the parade on October 12, 2008 when they received a letter from the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. They were selected for their “excellent music talents, performance skills, efforts and outstanding directorship” according to the association’s Music Committee.

Though their journey started over a year before leaving they decided to get another early start, leaving their high school in two shifts on Monday at 4:30am and 8:45am with 16 chaperones and 30 “Band Fan” parents cheering them on.

The excitement was uncontainable as they prepared to head to Hobby Airport for what would be a first flight for a third of the students. “I know a lot of people didn’t get to sleep last night because they were excited,” sophomore and drum major Connor Black shared Monday. “I can’t sum it up in any words,” said senior Jaleesha Abbs, who is a member of the color guard. “This morning I was anxious to get up.”

“I’m just ready to get on the plane and get to California because I was ready when they told us,” said Senior and tuba player Thomas Borowski. “It was a long wait.” In order to make the trip, band members raised nearly $350,000, or $1,764 per person by hosting garage sales, car washes, concerts and raffles. Because of the year-long wait many band students had already graduated, but because of their contribution the 2009 CHS band graduates were invited to participate. Among the graduates that joined the band were Shalese McCloud who plays clarinet, Whitney Van Alstyne who plays flute and Nathan Tamborello who plays trombone.

One mother and former member of the 1986 CHS band played in Tournament of Roses Parade, sent her daughter, senior Samantha Gonzalez on this new adventure. “We’re proud of all of them, because we know they worked hard,” she said, adding that she wished she was going again.

Not only did the band participate in the Tournament of Roses Parade, they also played in a field show at Pasadena College announced by another former 1986 band member Brent Veazey. They made their state proud as they played “Deep in the Heart of Texas” and “Yellow Rose of Texas” while they formed the shape of Texas on the field. And to represent not only their state, but their city as well they played “Tiger Boogie” as they spelled out “Conroe” on the field.

The Tournament of Roses Parade is broadcast live by ABC, NBC, HGTV, Tribune, Univision, Telemundo, Travel Channel, Discovery HD Theater and Sky Link TV, according to www.tournamentofroses.com.

To learn more about the CHS band, visit chs.conroeisd.net/band.

Lennar New Year Sales Promotion

Cheryl Boe — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Lennar is offering up to $25,000* off select inventory when you purchase a new home this weekend. For details, visit the Lennar Homes sales office in Graystone Hills.

*Inventory homes as determined by Lennar sold 1/1/10 - 1/31/10 and closing by 2/15/10 will offer savings of up to $25,000 off the original home price. Incentives will vary per community and per home. See a Lennar New Home Consultant for further information. Copyright © 2010 Lennar Corporation. Lennar and the Lennar logo are registered service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. 1/10

Important Notice: Freeze Precautions

Greg Rivera — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0100

The Houston Weather Bureau is predicting freezing conditions from Thursday night through to Saturday morning (January 7-9, 2010).

These sustained freezing conditions could result in pipes bursting, causing severe damage. Please take the following precautions to minimize damage to your property and protect your plant and pets.

Wrap an exterior exposed pluming pipes.
Disconnect water hoses.
Keep your pets inside.
Cover your plants.
Do not leave faucets dripping
Listen to your radio and T.V. for weather updates.
If you are going out of town, leave the heat on in your unit and open the under counter cabinet doors. As an additional precaution, turn off the main water valve and drain the faucets. If you turn the water off and you have electric water heater, be sure to turn the breaker off.

Open House Weekends Come to Graystone Hills

Cheryl Boe — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:49:57 +0100

Starting in 2010, Friendswood Development Company has expanded its highly popular Open House weekend event from Fairfield to Graystone Hills and Oakhurst at Kingwood. Now, residents, Realtors and home shoppers have even more opportunities to tour new and resale homes and find out why so many people are making these outstanding Friendswood Development Company communities their home.

For years, the highly successful Open House weekend event has taken place in master-planned Fairfield and due to the strong demand and response from home shoppers and Realtors, the event will now be a monthly occurrence in Graystone Hills, Conroe’s only mater-planned community, and Oakhurst at Kingwood, offering direct access to US 59.

“Realtors love this event because it gives them so much support for their listings,” said Christine Draughn, marketing director for Friendswood Development Company’s north Houston communities. “Often, residents who live in the community are selling their home because they either need more space or are ready for less space. It’s very well received by residents as well as those visiting the community.”

The Open House weekend events are scheduled on the third Sunday of each month. Visitors can tour new decorated model homes by top Houston builders, available inventory homes and resale homes. New homes are open on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. Resale homes are open on Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

Fairfield, Graystone Hills and Oakhurst at Kingwood offer an impressive selection of homes that range from luxury courtyard and patio homes to elegant custom homes.